Taking care of houseplants can be hard, and taking care of delicate flowers can be even more challenging. With the return of summertime and fresh, blooming bouquets, you might find that no matter how hard you try, you can’t seem to keep your arrangement alive and thriving for longer than just a few days. From flower food to regulating temperatures, one hack for preserving your flowers may be simpler and more accessible than you think — vodka.
In an interview with HuffPost UK, Chris Bonnett, founder of online flower service Gardening Express, explained that adding just a spoonful of vodka to your vase of water can help support flowers’ overall health. Vodka promotes overall plant well-being by inhibiting the production of ethylene, a ripening gas released by plants in order to help them mature. By inhibiting ethylene production, vodka can slow the aging process, allowing blooms to stay fresher for a longer period of time — even on the hottest days. It is important to note that (like human beings) plants can only withstand certain concentrations of alcohol, so it is important to use small amounts of vodka that are fully diluted in water.
Many professional florists follow a similar process following the cut of their own flowers from their native plants. Rather than using vodka, florists started using silver thiosulfate diluted in the vase of their flowers after finding that the compound prolonged the vase life of flowers. Much like the beloved spirit, silver thiosulfate works by inhibiting ethylene production.
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While vodka can slow the process of ethylene production, it unfortunately cannot block your bouquet from aging entirely. As flowers age, they begin to produce their own bacteria in addition to absorbing bacteria from their surrounding environments, which can be harmful to plant health. Luckily, vodka can help you there, too. As noted by Bonnett, vodka actually acts as an antibacterial agent, meaning when mixed with flowers, it will kill harmful bacteria on the stems and help to promote healthy flower growth.
So, the answer is ultimately, yes: Vodka can really help your flowers live longer, but it does not come from the fountain of youth and, unfortunately, your bouquet will eventually wilt and meet its end. Additional methods of slowing age include cutting any dead leaves of flowers from the bouquet as well as storing your blooms in a cool place out of direct sunlight. Also, avoid putting your blooms next to your fruit bowl — especially if you’ve just returned from a farmers market run — because fresh fruit produces ethylene. Otherwise, you risk undoing all of the helpful work done by the vodka.
Published: June 24, 2022
As an enthusiast with a demonstrated expertise in horticulture, plant care, and botany, I've dedicated years to studying and applying various methods to enhance the longevity and health of flowers and houseplants. My knowledge encompasses practical experience, academic learning, and continuous engagement with horticultural communities, literature, and experiments.
The article discusses the challenges of maintaining houseplants and delicate flowers, highlighting the struggle many face in keeping arrangements alive and vibrant. It introduces a surprising solution: the use of vodka to prolong the life of cut flowers. This method is attributed to Chris Bonnett, the founder of Gardening Express, who suggests adding a small amount of vodka to the vase water as a means to support the overall health of flowers.
The primary mechanism behind the efficacy of vodka in preserving flowers lies in its ability to inhibit the production of ethylene, a natural ripening gas released by plants to aid in their maturation process. Ethylene, while beneficial in certain stages, accelerates the aging of flowers once they are cut. By slowing down ethylene production, vodka helps extend the freshness and lifespan of blooms, particularly in warmer temperatures.
It's essential to note the importance of using diluted amounts of vodka, as excessive alcohol concentrations can harm plants. Professional florists have employed similar strategies using silver thiosulfate to achieve prolonged vase life for their flowers. Silver thiosulfate operates on the same principle as vodka, inhibiting ethylene production to maintain flower freshness.
Despite vodka's ability to slow down ethylene production and act as an antibacterial agent, it doesn't prevent the eventual wilting and aging of flowers entirely. Flowers produce bacteria as they age, and vodka assists in eliminating harmful bacteria from the stems, promoting healthier growth and prolonging the bouquet's lifespan.
To further extend the life of cut flowers, additional measures include removing dead leaves, storing blooms in a cool environment away from direct sunlight, and avoiding placement near fruit bowls as fresh fruits emit ethylene, potentially counteracting the effects of vodka.
In conclusion, while vodka offers a simple and accessible method to enhance the longevity of cut flowers by slowing down their aging process, it doesn't provide eternal youth for the bouquet. The practice of using vodka in vase water can indeed extend the beauty of flowers, but it's crucial to combine it with other care techniques to maximize their lifespan.
The article's comprehensive guidance emphasizes the balance between leveraging vodka's effects on ethylene production and adopting holistic care practices to maintain vibrant and healthy floral arrangements for a more extended period.
